Weekly Editorial

It was very interesting to read an article last week about an open government symposium held in Douglasville where Douglas County officials met with Jim Zachary, director of the Transparency Project of Georgia and editor of the Valdosta Daily Times, to learn about open records, open meetings, and why government transparency is important for democracy. The Douglas County Sentinel reported that the symposium was a smashing success with approximately 60 people in attendance and even some of the elected officials stated that the training was better than that received by their respective government associations.
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Last week IRS Commissioners John Koskinen told members of Congress that back in November when President Barak Obama announced executive action paving the way for approximately four million illegal immigrants to receive Social Security numbers it may have opened another door. Koskinen told Congress that this would make the illegals eligible for what’s known as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) regardless if they filed or paid taxes.
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This week we finished the first ten days of the forty day session. Bills that are introduced are now going to their assigned committees to be debated. This week, I want to address the issues, that judging by emails and phone calls, seem to be of most importance to you.
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“This plan will provide more than $1 billion annually in new transportation dollars,” Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston said. “It does not result in an increase of state taxes on Georgians. It will move us forward as a state, all over the state, to addressing a subject we can no longer afford to ignore or kick down the road.”[Full Story »]

Written by the Gainesville Times Editorial Board and published on January 25.

In the last two weeks, we’ve seen two different “state of” speeches, from leaders with widely disparate views. Both offered a list of priorities amid a recovering economy, setting goals to better the lives of those they serve. Each was greeted with applause from supporters, grim faces and still hands from foes.
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Did you catch Governor Nathan Deal’s State of the State last week? In case you missed the Governor’s take on all things Georgia, he put emphasis on Georgia’s growing economy, improving education including updating the Quality Basic Education funding model from the 1980s, creating a new Department of Community Supervision to stop redundancy and enhance communication between the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice and Pardons and Paroles as well as include the Department of Family and Children Services in on these discussions, and securing new funding for Georgia’s vast transportation needs.
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If there is one characteristic about Appling County that is admirable, it is that we are a loving and caring community. Case in point, the love that has been shown to the Forehand family, and more recently to Julia Tolson and her family is amazing.
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I have had the privilege of serving the people of southeast Georgia in public office for 30 years, 22 of which have been in the United States Congress. I have met many wonderful people, cast some tough votes, and made some difficult decisions. It has been an honor, a challenge, a great responsibility, and I have enjoyed it immensely. For this I thank the Lord, my family, staff, supporters, constituents, and friends.
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“Because, thanks to their efforts, we really do have a new foundation that’s been laid. We are better positioned than we have been in a very long time. A new future is ready to be written. We’ve set the stage for this American moment. And I’m going to spend every minute of my last two years making sure that we seize it.
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The Constitution of the United States spells out the separation of powers that have served us well for for 227 years. The government is made up of three branches including the executive branch, legislative branch and the judicial branch. By having the three branches of government, a system of checks and balances are in place to protect U.S. citizens from the threat of one person or party of people from having or taking too much control of our country. However, are we seeing the fabric of our country change before our very eyes? Is President Obama now acting as the executive branch and legislative branch?
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